Account book of Andrew Ayers, Northfield, Mass., 1818-1852

Description

Account book of Andrew Ayers of Northfield, Massachusetts, kept 1818-1852, in which he records on an almost daily basis receipts for goods and services rendered. Goods sold include: bushels of corn, oats and potatoes; barrels of cider; pounds of beef; pecks of onions and pork; "soap greece;" and loads of wood. Ayers also worked at haying, hauling, chopping, milling, "aplowing," mending walls, and, often, "three days by myself and oxen - $2.11." Transactions in livestock involve pigs, lambs, turkey, and steer. The records demonstrate the great variety of labors undertaken by one man in the early 19th century, from digging wells, making cider, making boots and "bricking," to agricultural labors like planting. In 1836, Andrew Ayers recorded the many days "lost" when he was ill.

Entries are notable for their quaint spelling. Over the thirty-five years of entries, the kinds of goods and services changed little. Money exchanged was recorded in pounds and shillings, as well as dollars and cents.